[QUOTE=mlarue75;525530]Thanks, it's been a long time since I read or thought about Philo, It's terribly Greek, isn't it?

Torah is full of physical acts and retributions. Are you suggesting that Torah was composed in the Hellenistic period? I think most people date it to the Exilic or post-Exilic period, which would imply a different Zeitgeist entirely.[/QUOTE]

I think Torah probably began during the exile, and continued through the early Persian period, just from what I've read. Torah also tells the story of a people wandering to find a god and a god finding a people, of a people who are exiled to Egypt and who, through divine intervention make their way back to the promised land.

Philo's quite Greek, but so are the gospels, once one strays from Mark and, to extend from Matt... Even, though many would agree, the arguments the mythic "Paul" uses in his "letters" are Greek a fortiori reasoning as opposed to an alleged Pharisaic qal va-homer logic style.

[QUOTE=MisterC;525601]I think Torah probably began during the exile, and continued through the early Persian period, just from what I've read. Torah also tells the story of a people wandering to find a god and a god finding a people, of a people who are exiled to Egypt and who, through divine intervention make their way back to the promised land.

Philo's quite Greek, but so are the gospels, once one strays from Mark and, to extend from Matt... Even, though many would agree, the arguments the mythic "Paul" uses in his "letters" are Greek a fortiori reasoning as opposed to an alleged Pharisaic qal va-homer logic style.[/QUOTE]

OH heavens! I can deal with a mythical Jesus but not with a mythical Paul!:eek:

[QUOTE=hoknes;304388]A friend of mine is a Christian. He likes collecting pinup posters of sexy women and porn stars. What would God's opinion be on this? He sees women as art and not as sex objects not to say sex is a sin. It's just that women are the ultimate art.[/QUOTE]

I am not privy to God's opinion, but I suspect that God does not deal in opinions, nor even have all that much interest in human affairs.

Women are Gods ultimate creation, but it's to easy to twist the beauty of Gods workmanship and turn it into trouble. Solomon, David, Samson and a host of other great men in the bible fell, what makes your friend any different.

Dear Mr. C:
Good question and response. In Gen2: 21-24 we have the rib action; if one came from the other than could this be a splitting of an androgynous being? Greek thinking! Some Bibles use the plural quote of 'Let us' and some omit this.
In the creation-God created 3 Xs for every one Y; so who or which is the real Prototype-Xs dominate the gene poolo.
Sincerely, J R Dittbrenner

Dear Mr. C:
The Greek comes from the LXX-Septuagint. The 'prophets' are from the Exile. Start with the Deuteronomistic History beginning with King Josiah and then read the book backwards to come up with the correct times and places. This includes Kings 1 and 2 and along with the judges and Chronicles.
Sincerely, J R Dittbrenner

I dont think that God cares one way or the other . If he did he would have specifically stated in the commandments " Thou shalt not rape" The fact that this has been ommitted leads one to think that its ok to do so .
I live by the commandments . I dont rape . and for those of you who are going to say that rape is against the law and therefore a sin: Consider this: rape has only been a crime for a couple of hundred years . So for the first millenium and a half . Rape was not considered a sin by the church or the civil authoprities. Does this make sense?
I think that rape would be the extreme expression of Lust and should have been specifically prohibited under any laws or commandments. So if its ok to rape people It would naturally follow that looking at pictures is no big deal.

[QUOTE=JRDitt;649111]Dear Mr. C:
The Greek comes from the LXX-Septuagint. The 'prophets' are from the Exile. Start with the Deuteronomistic History beginning with King Josiah and then read the book backwards to come up with the correct times and places. This includes Kings 1 and 2 and along with the judges and Chronicles.
Sincerely, J R Dittbrenner[/QUOTE]

The fact that you would speak of chronologies in the same breath as the Septuagint, since the chronology of Genesis is based on the "Hellenistic motif o a 'great moment' of 4000 years." (from The Mythic Past, Thomas Thompson, p. 73). So at the very least, we are looking at a Hellenistic document in its "final form." This, toledoth, and the use of cue names should be enough revisiting whether there is any history whatsoever in it!!!

Then, of course, one has to look at the Kings as well as the Chronicler, one reads about the "chauvinistic fiction" (Davies, Scribes and Schools, p. 121) of the split between Israel and Judah, but more than that, lawsy mercy, Chronicles went far easier on Samaritans than did the Kings! That would make the Chronicler's tales younger than that of the writers of the Kings.
MisterC